Critic Reviews

These gripes all pale in comparison to the overall experience, which is stellar. Non-fans can dive in with the knowledge that the newcomer-friendly game is relatively free of “inside baseball” talk while series die-hards can finally put aside their worries about a diluted experience. Double Helix has delivered a strong, generically sound game in Silent Hill: Homecoming, one which maintains basic survival horror precepts while propelling the genre as a whole forward into the current generation of gaming. If this is the new face of the Silent Hill series, we anticipate many more horrific nightmares to come.

Silent Hill: Homecoming proves to be a welcome step forward in the series without breaking the foundation that has made it a success. By staying true to the series’ roots and not trying to rely on unnecessary mechanics or gimmicks, Double Helix has created yet another unsettling gaming experience that is sure to stick in the minds of players long after the end credits roll.

While there are things that don't quite feel right with Silent Hill: Homecoming, there is more than enough to hold it up as a great way to enter the month of October. This game delivers on the experience you have come to expect from the franchise. It will also give you reason to begin clamoring for the next installment. The folks at Double Helix gave me the Silent Hill I wanted: a nerve-racking, scary as hell experience to hold me over this Halloween season. Any fan of Silent Hill should be checking this out, and anyone just needing a good scare can join in the Homecoming.

Homecoming is well programmed but a few design issues had me scratching my head. The inventory system is confusing, especially when items you just picked up don't show up in your inventory! Certain puzzles don't make much sense, like when you "use" an empty gas can to obtain gas from a truck. The graphics are sharp but uneven in quality. The lighting is terrific and the decrepit graveyard looks properly weathered, but the grass looks flat and standing water looks more like glass. The distribution of health items and save points could also be better. Homecoming could use a bit of polish, but it proves this franchise can still deliver the spooky thrills.

All in all, Silent Hill: Homecoming is a successful entry to the series. Even though it doesn’t do anything spectacularly new in terms of the franchise or the genre, it does do the old ways justice. Homecoming also comes with the series’ trademark multiple endings for you to discover, which adds a nice chunk of content if you’re a completion freak. A lot of folks were very concerned when they heard a North American developer was going to develop the next installment in the franchise, but thankfully they did a good job. If you have ever wanted to check out a Silent Hill game, or you’re a returning fan, Homecoming is a great place to both start, and continue your journey walking (but more likely running) the foggy streets of Silent Hill.

Homecoming shows a significant improvement over the franchise’s last console outing, but there’s still work to be done. Combat is much improved despite being nerfed by screwy balancing, the new camera hits the right balance between controllable and cinematic, and the story—supported by super creepy audio and visual work—is outstanding. Now, if we can get the mundane puzzling up to snuff, tweak the combat difficulty and maybe shed just a bit more light—it’s even hard to see with your flashlight, sometimes—on the drenched-in-darkness presentation, we’ll have good reason to visit this cursed town again. Homecoming is superior to the series' last two console efforts, and a must-play for those that have been hankering for a horror-filled fix in a console generation that’s seemed to left the moody genre in the darkness.

I was really impressed with Silent Hill: Homecoming. The story was good and every time I thought I figured out what was going on, the game let me know I was way off. You'll also discover why a game called Silent Hill takes place in a town called "Shepard's Glen." The combat was actually interesting, and at times challenging in a good way. Total play time ended up being around 10 hours, which of course includes watching the cut scenes and wandering around the town exploring every nook and cranny. The game has multiple endings and special items available for multiple playthroughs, so the replay value is fairly high, assuming you enjoyed playing the game the first time. After finishing Silent Hill: Homecoming, I hope that Double Helix ends up making the next title in the franchise, because that team has tons of potential.

At this point Konami seems firmly committed to a more action-oriented Silent Hill, and while some long-time fans of the series may not like it Homecoming is a solid step forward in that direction for the franchise. While not incredibly shocking the storyline is still engaging, and the game has the same creepy atmosphere fans of the series crave.

The phrase “unmet potential” comes readily to mind, but even that does little to fully explain my disappointment. Hopefully, 2012 will show two great surprises: the complete inaccuracy of the Mayan calendar and a SH installment that’s worth its name and our time.

The game has five endings altogether. There are also a few unlockables that can be obtained from achieving each ending. Homecoming has about the same amount of replay value that can be found in previous Silent Hill installments. The full games clocks in at about 6 to 8 hours on a first playthrough. Homecoming is a really good pickup for Silent Hill fans. The added focus on combat makes the entire game a learning experience since you have to learn to deal with each enemy type with the help of the dodge feature in order to survive the many encounters that you'll endure. To me, Homecoming seemed to be the least scariest installment of the series, but I felt it was a welcome addition to the Silent Hill franchise overall.

Silent Hill: Homecoming is easily one of the scariest games that is available this year. It is clear that the team spent a long time crafting a well thought-out experience, and it is appreciated. However, there are times where the story becomes too rooted in previous ideas, like other games in the series and the Silent Hill movie, that it is ultimately more fan service than new content.

Silent Hill: Homecoming ReviewThankfully, the game manages to be worth more than the sum of its parts. The controls are the best they've ever been, and combat is actually tolerable this time. That said, you're still better off avoiding fights whenever possible, especially during the few annoying sections that continually respawn creatures. Gun play is viable now, and Alex makes a refreshingly different hero for the series. It's not particularly scary, but the atmosphere of Silent Hill is still firmly intact, and this is easily the best horror-themed game we've seen lately.

If you are a fan of the Silent Hill franchise then Silent Hill: Homecoming is a must buy title. The solid visuals and spooky sound effects alone made this a worthy addition to the series. The gameplay is a slight departure from other games in the franchise, however the story makes much more sense and is easier to follow this time around. Silent Hill: Homecoming is far from a perfect game but at the end of the day if you are a horror fan and own Xbox 360 this latest release in the series should be right up your alley.

There are definitely some faults to this game, but it is overall an enjoyable experience. Double Helix Games is a mish-mash of multiple companies and is overall very new to the video game industry so the faults are no surprise. I hope to see more from them in the future though because this game had some really great promise, but fell a bit short in the end. For survival horror fans and/or Silent Hill fans I would say this will not disappoint. For newcomers, maybe try Condemned first before venturing down this road.

Silent Hill Homecoming delivers one of the few solid survival horror experiences on the system. The genre used to see a release a month, and gamers are lucky now to get two a year. Homecoming’s great story calls for a rebirth of the genre, even if the gameplay occasionally does not.

Silent Hill’s road to re-emergence is filled with its share of bumps, but Homecoming still delivers a solid follow-up worthy of its lineage. And that’s also the problem. The development team has played it safe, delivering a game that maintains the status quo. It will make fans giddy, but those without preconceived notions will find it to be a bit clunky and growing long in the tooth.

Ultimately, I enjoyed Silent Hill: Homecoming a great deal. Probably more than the game itself deserved. Its main problems are not related to any initial suspicions that the series would be weaker due to its westernization, and whilst its approach is clearly more striking and shocking than the tense subtleties of its forebears, its engaging storyline and well thought out settings help allay any frustrations towards games shortcomings. A good first attempt by Double Helix.

I have to admit, I was just as worried as any Silent Hill fan when I heard about the various changes that were being made to one of my beloved franchises. Thankfully, the development team at Double Helix has done an excellent job of providing a seamless transition into the current generation, while at the same time keeping most of the series’ precious trademarks intact. While it doesn’t quite surpass the high standards set by the first three installments, Homecoming is one of the scariest and most memorable titles of the last few years, and a respectable addition to the Silent Hill family.

Homecoming developer Double Helix has stayed true to the series' foundation while also taking steps in a brave new direction; they've crafted a tale that stands well within franchise lore, and they've produced horrifically beautiful environments, occasional framerate drops aside. If Double Helix learns from their mistakes here -- combat balance being the most glaring issue -- their future work could rival the series' best. Homecoming definitely fits well within the franchise, but it also left me eager to see what's next, as this is clearly only the first step in Silent Hill's next evolution.

Measured against the standards set by previous games in the series, Silent Hill: Homecoming rests near the lower regions of the proverbial totem pole. Judged independently, however, this game still provides much of what survival horror fans are looking for, including a decently deranged plot, occult themes, and a full cast of sick and twisted monsters. It may not be the most cerebral or frightening option, but it will still satisfy that horror fix.

Much like the history of Silent Hill, Homecoming is a battleground, marred by the clash between tradition and modernization. Its graphical prowess and combative strengths are, in equal parts, its overcompensated and underdeveloped weaknesses. Still, the true test of quality came after the game, during a midnight walk to the store along abnormally empty streets, as the shadows shifted around me. Halfway there, I turned around and waited for morning. Job well-done.

Reviewing any Silent Hill game can be a killer, because it’s obviously not acceptable to give away plot points, key ‘moments’ or surprises… but kinda, you want to. Suffice it to say, American developer Double Helix has managed to stick its landing—right in the uneasy, dark parts of the mind that define the Silent Hill experience.

So you want a score? It's a difficult one to judge. Silent Hill: Homecoming is without doubt a good game, but it is let down by little problems here and there. The plot twists are generally quite easy to see coming but at least keep you interested, although the deviation from the original Silent Hill games will annoy a lot of people. Perhaps the most problematic thing about Silent Hill: Homecoming is the time that it has been released. On its own a year ago this would have been a standout game and scored a lot higher. However, coming after Dead Space and just before Resident Evil 5 it seems that it will be destined to join the bargain bins sooner rather than later. It is still a good game though, so if you happen to see it in that bargain bin, snap it up. You won't be disappointed.

Fans of the original game will likely be pleased with the latest effort in the series. While it does change a lot as far as combat is concerned it feels more like a traditional Silent Hill title than the last few efforts. Unfortunately this includes some of the hang-ups that caused frustration in the earlier games including sporadic save points and a lack of ammo. However, for what it is Silent Hill: Homecoming truly does fit its namesake in bringing the franchise back to its roots. If you have ever been a fan of the series then this latest entry is worth checking out and if you are a fan of survival horror perhaps it is time to get familiarized with one of the originals.

If you are a survival horror fan or just a Silent Hill fan you will enjoy this game and it would be worth the buy, but it is not a scary game, at least for me. If you are new to the Silent Hill franchise, just rent this one as it is not a good starter for the series. If you want to be scared, Dead Space is your best bet or Siren on the PS3.

Silent Hill: Homecoming is a very strange game, as its dual nature and oddly unsatisfying gameplay could likely turn both fans and newcomers away. Eventually, the plot picks up and things start to become interesting enough to overshadow the querulous combat system, but whether or not you're willing to suffer through the initial stages is a personal matter. Still, for those that love the series, this new installment is highly recommended on a pure storytelling basis, even if there is quite a bit of slogging required to get to the good stuff.

Even so, what continues to hold Homecoming back from beginning to end is its horribly uneven pacing. Long stretches of downtime obviously intended to build tension just feel dull and drawn out, while the non-stop barrage of combat in other sections becoming tedious. It never hits its stride, never find that sweet spot that makes for that great edge-of-your-seat survival horror experience. Silent Hill fans will find enough here in the lore and the art direction to keep them going through the rough spots, but Homecoming is going to be a tough sell for anyone else. If you like the freaky stuff and can stomach the hiccups it’s a decent rental or bargain bin pickup, but this isn’t a great game by any stretch, and it definitely isn’t for everyone.

As a fan of the entire Silent Hill universe and someone that has every game associated to the property, I was hoping that Homecoming would be an excellent step forward for the franchise. Unfortunately, I admit that the game feels like a bit of a letdown. The gameplay has been reduced from a tense psychological experience fraught with spine tingling jumps and scares to a generic, predictable action title set in the location with good graphics and a great soundtrack. If Alex had been limited in some way, or even if there was an adjustment to the fearful aspect to the title, this could've been a solid game.

With a clever story full of twists, terror, and torment, I would be lying if I said that even with all of its flaws; I still truly enjoyed Silent Hill. Of course I am a fan of the series, I love horror films, and I enjoy the rush of being scared. It was the game's storyline and characters that captured me versus the suspense this time around, but that didn't make the game any less enjoyable for me. If you aren't a fan of the series or old school survivor horror, then Silent Hill: Homecoming isn't the game that will convert you and you may rate this score a letter grade below mine. Otherwise, fans will eat this up as it is the best in the series since Silent Hill 3. Just remember that Pyramid Head is waiting for you.

I have played all of the Silent Hill games and I have to say that Homecoming is not a step forward for the franchise on next generation consoles. This game takes everything that was good about Silent Hill and erased it. The game is a real big letdown; fans will play this and start counting the days until the next Silent Hill game. Stay out of the fog for now, Homecoming is not the Silent Hill experience we’ve been waiting for.

Silent Hill: Homecoming, while quite a departure from the psychological horror that fans are used to, is still a decent, occult-themed action game that you can squeeze 10 hours of tepid enjoyment from. If, however, you're looking for a classic Silent Hill-style frightfest, you will likely be disappointed.

I wish I had more to praise about Homecoming, because I’d like to see this series shine again. Fans will probably dig the game’s cool set pieces and the story, but the save points are placed too far apart, many puzzles require too much random experimentation, and the dialogue system seems like an afterthought. Who says you shouldn’t go home? I do.

But the good…no, great news is that Homecoming’s second half saves its bloodied bacon by more thoughtfully pacing out enemy encounters, giving you more than just one health drink and one box of pistol rounds to survive, and cranking up the foreboding atmosphere to breaking point. Once this happens, you’ll immediately know — and from that moment on, it’s a tense, bloodcurdling trip to tear the curtains off of Alex’s unhappy, plot-twisty ride into hell. Sure, your enjoyment relies heavily on whether you guess the story’s big end-reveal within its first 30 minutes (we didn’t), but Homecoming’s half-hidden, melancholy little heart is shown only to those who look past its incredibly M-rated gory kicks and often frustratingly lopsided, questionably balanced exterior.

Konami has taken a big risk in turning one of its most treasured series into a franchise property, and it's hard to be too critical of Double Helix for essentially doing what it was commissioned to do, because Homecoming respects the legacy and approximates the things fans want. But in the same way you wouldn't accept Metal Gear Solid or Pro Evolution Soccer taken from Kojima Productions or Konami TYO and given to a contractor with no background working on them, Silent Hill fans won't be thrilled about this. Maybe Team Silent is quietly beavering away on something new, which is going to blow us away again, but until then horror fans must make do with this fairly decent cover version.

The tangible sense of dread and ominous ambience that hangs over Homecoming might be enough to salvage Homecoming for devoted scare-seekers, but everybody else will be more horrified by the aggravating combat and decayed puzzle conventions than the twists and turns of Alex's unfortunate past. If survival horror is your bread and butter, then Homecoming is right up your alley; otherwise, you might be better served waiting for Resident Evil 5.

And yet, Homecoming isn’t a terrible game. Not terrible, but seriously flawed. And it’s a game whose flaws consistently work against its plusses. The atmosphere is brilliant as always, the scoring and sound effects magnificent (better than ever, perhaps) – but with this latest effort, which definitely falls short, I wonder if it isn’t time for Konami to consider an overhaul of Resident Evil 4 proportions.

The musical score by Akira Yamaoka is something special -as is always the case with the Silent Hill games. It would be even better if those beautifully imagined crescendos ever led to anything exciting happening on screen. There are a multitude of psychological setups that threaten to lead to something interesting, but they always end up being massively predictable and take you down the generic action path. And unfortunately, that’s all that Silent Hill: Homecoming ends up being - a generic action title that contains some truly stunning musical pieces. And that means that even fans of the series may not appreciate this one.